


Family of Heroes

by Shakoo



Category: Script Family (Tumblr)
Genre: F/F, major injury to original character, police proceedural, superhero au, thirst based on well fitting medic pants
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 18:18:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17492873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shakoo/pseuds/Shakoo
Summary: “Call an ambulance!”“You’re a supervillain, what if you hurt the paramedics, what if you use them as hostages?”“Half my intestines are on the floor, do you really think I’m in a fit state to be taking hostages?!”Quinn narrowed her eyes and kept her weapons trained on the villain. After a few more seconds they didn’t suddenly heal the wound and leap at her, so she slowly lowered one weapon to reach in a pocket for her phone. She silently thanked Edna for responsible costume design as she dialed emergency services.





	1. Blight Fall

**Author's Note:**

> A love story to the ScriptFamily of blogs on Tumblr.

“Call an ambulance!”

“You’re a supervillain, what if you hurt the paramedics, what if you use them as hostages?”

Half my intestines are on the floor, do you really think I’m in a fit state to be taking hostages?!”

Quinn narrowed her eyes and kept her weapons trained on the villain. After a few more seconds they didn’t suddenly heal the wound and leap at her, so she slowly lowered one weapon to reach in a pocket for her phone. She silently thanked Edna for responsible costume design as she dialed emergency services.

“What is the nature of your emergency?”

“Medical emergency on the roof of Geppetto’s. Abdominal wound has ruptured the abdominal wall, intestines are protruding. I would say a bladed weapon of some sort caused the wound, no tearing apparent. Please be aware, this is Commandant Blight, level 3 super villain. Send Aunty.” Quinn disconnected the call and the phone disappeared into the spandex around her as she retrieved her other weapon.

The silence stretched, broken only by the normal sounds of the city and the muffled cries of Blight as they writhed in pain.

“Stay still. You’re going to get something in there and get an infection and make their job a lot harder.” Quinn snorted. “Wouldn’t that be ironic? The villain that kills by infecting people with flesh eating mushrooms dies from a flesh eating bacteria.”

“What does it matter? There’s no sirens. No one is coming. Why’d you tell them I’m a villain? No one comes for the villains!” Blight’s snappish tone broke at the end as they started panting to suck in air.

Quinn watched them closely, telling herself it was a ploy to get her off-guard, but secretly trying to make sure no new symptoms developed. The sound of helicopter blades approaching broke her concentration and she gave a small half smile to herself. Boots hitting the deck finally caught Blight’s attention.

“Shit, who’s that? You gotta protect me!”

Quinn ignored them and lower her weapons. Rotating her shoulders to ease the tension, she allowed her gaze to trace up Aunty’s 5.11’s. Wait, was that a six way pocket? Aunty got some Proppers. Nice. By this point, Aunty was kneeling beside Blight, taking vitals, inspecting the wound, and whatever else she did, giving Quinn plenty of time to appreciate the view. She probably should have been paying attention to the villain, but something about the EMS gear and the mask that Aunty wore as Super Scripty just really polished a look.

Aunty’s hands were a blur. Part of that was because she was just a great medic, but at least 20% was probably due to super powers. Specifically healing superpowers that were repairing the abdominal wall of her villainous patient. She was nearly finished when Blight snaked out a hand, extremely quick for a person that was recently in danger of bleeding to death. Blight’s hand gripped Aunty’s wrist and the mottled colors of fungi started rolling over their skin.

“Thanks, but it’s in my nature. You understand.” Wide flat teeth were exposed in a rictus like grin.

The grin slipped from their face and they dropped back to the roof as Aunty pulled the needle from their thigh. “Ketamine. It’s in my nature. You understand.” She shook her braid back as she capped the syringe and put it in a portable sharps container. “Like someone with super medic powers wouldn’t be immune to infections? What were they thinking, Quinn?”

“I’m not sure they were thinking. They did lose a lot of blood.”

“Yeah, what was that about? You’re usually careful to avoid the extra dangerous wounds.”

Quinn lifted a shoulder. “They were like that when I got here. I’m going to see if I can find out more.”

“Ok. We’ll get them into custody and I’ll keep an eye out for complications.” She signaled her partner the all clear.

“Sure thing. See you tonight.” Quinn stepped in and pressed her lips to Aunty’s in a quick, warm embrace. “Have a good shift and be careful.”

“mmm. You too.”

After the helicopter disappeared with the two medics and pilot and up one super villain, Quinn cast her gaze around the rooftop while pulling her phone back out.

“Edna? I need you to make me t-shirt for Aunty.”

A huge sigh seemed to ruffle her hair through the phone before Edna’s thick accent came from the speaker. “What do you want on this one?”

“Ketamine. It’s in my nature.”


	2. Home Base

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I brought it here. I was hoping one of you would recognize it. Or be able to poke it and find out.” Quinn looked around the group that she privately called the Braintrust. A few of the faces were looking back at her in exasperation, but most were still staring intently at the small metallic object that she’d found.

She held up her hands in defense. “It’s not unreasonable to think that one of you would have read about it in the Library’s reference section, or maybe someone had even scienced something like this before.”

“Scienced, Quinn? Really?” One of the chemists that had still been

staring at the object flicked their eyes towards her, but was drawn back.

“We’ll have to set up containment for it and compile a list of potential experiments that we all think could help identify it.” Another scientist clapped their hands together.

“I’ll need a picture of it to reference against the knowledge bank in the Library.”

“Once we have it behind some shielding. I’m not going to trust that it’s not explosive.”

Quinn watched the group take the object and disappear into the restricted areas of the Lab, smiling softly to herself. Once everyone was gone, she pushed herself away from the table and headed for a different door that lead deeper into the base.

The room always seem to glow to Quinn, with the large banks of monitors and other computer equipment, plus the lighting designed to reduce eye strain for the occupant that spent all their time on those computers.

“Hey Shadow. Got few minutes? I found a cell phone on an SV earlier and I need to get into it for info.”

Shadow leaned back and blinked a few times to refocus. “Sure thing. I could use a break from this code anyway. I’ll let the duck take over.” Shadow pushed an above average rubber duck in front of the monitor and motioned Quinn over to a different table. “What model are we looking at?”

“You know I have no clue.” Quinn dutifully produced the phone and relinquished it to Shadow’s capable hands.”

“Oh yeah. No problem. Anything in particular you looking for that might be hidden?”

“Just what he was doing on the roof of Gepetto’s, who gutted him, where his crew is and what they’re up to. The usual.”

Shadow nodded along. “Why don’t you go grab some food or something and I’ll get this opened and check for any hidden data?”

“Thanks, Shadow. You’re the best.” Quinn smiled as Shadow’s focus was already tuned to the matter at hand.

She wandered towards the reading rooms, thinking she’d snap a quick nap since they were usually empty this time of night. She was surprised to see the light on in one, so she peeked inside. It took a few minutes to find the person buried between the cushions of the chair and the stacks of books on the tables, and floor, and the other chair.

“Quinn? What are you doing here so early?”

“Early? What time do you think it is, friend?”

A look of realization came over the face before her. “Oh no. I’ve done it again, haven’t I?”

Quinn leaned a hip against the door frame and smiled. “It looks like you were pretty wrapped up in these books.”

“Yes. They finally got the books about the Olmecs and I was rereading Rejali to have that fresh in my mind. Then I started reading this book about torture practices in 14th century Japan and a collection of survivor statements from late 19th century Russia.”

“Maybe that’s enough for one day. That’s a lot to absorb. You want to grab some dessert from the canteen before you head home? I’ve been wanting to talk to you about the new Star Wars movie.”


	3. Team Work

Quinn watched the man through the window to the interrogation room. Like most interrogation rooms, the window was a mirror on the other side, but it wouldn’t have mattered. He couldn’t see her face any more than anyone else. He didn’t even have powers.

“You said he’s Blight’s lieutenant? Why wouldn’t he have a sidekick with powers?” Quinn asked the deputy standing a few feet away. Of course, Deputy Defend wasn’t an actual deputy, but as the liaison with the local law enforcement, Quinn thought of them as such.

“No clue. We’re hoping Warrior can get some info from him. He’s been blanking everyone else.” Deputy took a long sip from a cup of coffee.

“You called Warrior in for an interrogation? Seems a bit overkill.”

Deputy paused and Quinn heard the hesitation. “It would be necessary anyway. Aunty did a quick health check and there are….” Deputy cleared their throat and continued. “Signs. Shrink is on the way as well.” 

Quinn finally turned away from the glass. “Let me know what they find out. I’m interested in how this will play out.”

“Actually.” Deputy reached into the pocket of their uniform and pulled out a small baggy. “Aunty said to give you these. I guess you’re in on this op.”

They held the baggy out to Quinn and she took it cautiously. It seemed to contain a tiny earpiece for a communication system. She shook her head and tried to hand the baggy back, but Deputy had already returned to the position by the glass.

“No. I don’t do missions with you all. I’m not that kind of team member.”

“So I’ve been told, by everyone from the Brain Gang, to Captain Time, to the Flower Twins. But Auntie gave the orders, and I’m not going to get in the middle of this argument. Take it up with her.”

Quinn shoved the bag into her costume and stalked out of the holding facility. She was nearly home before her brain caught up with the nicknames that Deputy had thrown around for the different divisions of their group.

“Brain Gang. That might be better than Braintrust.”

Aunty wasn’t home when she got there, which wasn’t surprising. The woman worked as a medic, then worked as a superhero, and was in charge of keeping the whole super family running smoothly. Quinn was vaguely amazed any time they got to be together and wasn’t sure when Aunty slept.

But it was a bit irritating. It’s hard to maintain righteous indignation when the person you want to remind, calmly and rationally, why you can’t be part of a mission isn’t there to be reminded.


	4. Old Blood

Blood droplets trailed across the floor like rose petals, and she knew it was going to be a bad night. 

Quinn carefully knelt near the outlying droplets and peeled a glove off. As she extended her hand over the droplets, and dried stains, shadows seemed to seep around her hand and she grimaced slightly. After a few moments, she heard a small pop and the tapping of footsteps approaching behind her and she stood while replacing the glove. 

“I hoped I’d get to sit this one out.” 

The voice of her friend made Quinn turn away from the blood. She noted the resigned droop of the shoulders as well as the full gear ready for an extraction. 

“Still alive then? Is Aunty on the way?” 

Head tilted in response, “If she’s needed then she’ll be here. Who is it?”

“The old blood is Blight’s. Multiple layers of it. But this fresh stuff and the dried stuff from the past few days? I don’t know. At least 2 or 3 other people.”

“Well, make sure the place is clear and let’s get the survivors out safely. Deputy Defend and the cops should be on the way to process this place.”

As if on cue, the piece in Quinn’s ear buzzed to life. “Quinn, Wonder Warrior got a location from that contact that Shadow found on the cell. Sending the address now.”

“No need. We’re already here. Expecting you to join us.”

“Both of you autojumped? Shit. Don’t wait for us.”

The cackle in her ear went dead and Quinn motioned to WW.

They carefully moved through the room, avoiding the fresh blood on the floor. Quinn naturally moved to the front, weapons held securely and ready to react. She flowed through the rooms beyond, pausing only briefly in a room with a flickering yellow light centered over a table shiny with wear. It wasn’t the table that made her pause, or even the straps fixed on it, or the nearby electrodes and chains. The thing that gave her pause was the lack of blood. The rest of the building had some level of blood staining of various ages, but this room that was clearly used for torture, was clean. 

“Non-marking is far more common these days. It’s harder to link back to who did it.” 

Quinn nodded once at the explanation to her unasked question and then moved on to a long hall flanked by evenly spaced doors.

They checked the rooms methodically, though Quinn could feel before each one that they were empty of the living. She blocked the sight of the remains from her friend. It was her calling to witness Death, and she need not share the burden. 

The last room was different. There was still a thread of life and Quinn’s senses followed like a hound on a scent. 

“Under the cot. It’s faint. They’re probably unconscious.” She stepped back to allow the now glowing form past. 

The slight touch of the aura as the other hero passed flooded her with calm like a soothing balm, then it was gone and she snapped back to the present. She averted her eyes as the glow brightened into a brilliant light that blotted out all other sight. Then it was gone and she was left blinking the after image away. No matter how she tried to avoid it, that glow always seared her retinas. Sometimes she envied those that couldn’t see it.

Cracking her neck, she turned to leave the hall of cells. Deputy and the cops could handle logging evidence. She paused to key up her com device.

“Warrior just jumped back with a survivor. I’ve still got a thread on one.” She hesitated. “Aunty should meet up with Warrior.” 

She keyed off the device without waiting for a reply and pushed into the darkness of the stairwell. She didn’t have far to go.

 

 

“Blight. Blight said we’d rule the world. Blight said we’d survive when everyone else perished. Blight. Blight was wrong.” 

The glassy eyes and shuddering breath made Quinn believe that the person dying by her knees was talking to themselves. She slid a glove off slowly and took one of the shaking papery hands. Trying to offer some final comfort.

The hand tightened painfully around hers. “Stop them! You have to stop, stop him.” The sudden strength left the grip as the last painful breaths escaped. 

She felt a small snap as whatever brought her to the base released her.

**Author's Note:**

> This started on tumblr. First as an anonymous submission to the ScriptFamily to thank them for volunteering time and effort to help writers like me improve. I made a [tumblr just for these](https://shakoowrites.tumblr.com/), but then I've sort of drifted off from it. Maybe I'll get back around to finishing the story.


End file.
